"The State of Israel ... will ensure complete equality of social and political
rights of all its inhabitants irrespective of religion ... it will guarantee freedom
of religion and conscience." - May 1948)

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Data from the Israel Democracy Institute's 2018 Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel supports Hiddush's data and analysis on the growing trend of ultra-Orthodox men studying in yeshivas instead of entering the workforce, as poverty rates rise.

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We turn back to addressing one of the key manifestations of the unholy link between religion and the economy. This time, it follows on the publication of a review by the Ministry of Finance's Chief Economist department, according to which increasing participation in the workforce among ultra-Orthodox Jews and Arabs will reduce the poverty level in Israel by 21%.

On Sunday, Israel’s cabinet approved an affirmative action initiative enabling more ultra-Orthodox workers to find employment in the civil service, as part of Shas’s leader, Minister Rabbi Aryeh Deri’s strategy to integrate the Haredi community into the civil service.

The cataclysmic consequences of the irresponsible policies pursued by most Israeli governments when it comes to the dictates of their religious coalition partners have been reinforced by a major study of Israel’s economy through 2059, published recently by Assaf Geva, a senior Finance Ministry economist.

Number of current yeshiva students receiving deferments estimated at 58,000. Hiddush President Adv. Rabbi Uri Regev: “Any extension of the Tal Law does a huge disservice to the proud concept of the Peoples’ Army. The public will not tolerate continued discrimination in favor of the ultra-Orthodox; any extension will see great consequences in the next election.”

Although not part of the scheduled program, many speakers at the Israel 2021 conference sponsored by The Marker newspaper emphasized the necessity of ultra-Orthodox integration into the workforce as a means of socio-economic stability for the country as a whole.